Horntail Wasps look like they can deliver a wicked sting, but that stout syringe is actually for laying eggs.

Despite the warning colors, Horntail wasps are generally non-aggressive and (one source says) harmless. Both genders of Horntail Wasp species have short spines at the tip of their abdomen, but females appear to have two menacing stingers. The thicker, longer one is actually an ovipositor. The ovipositor is a tube used by the female to directly inject eggs into tree trunks and other durable wood where they are less likely to found and eaten by other insects. That sturdy spine aids in splitting the wood before the eggs are laid.

Larvae hatch inside the wood and tunnel through it, emerging as adults. Despite the great efforts to use deep wood to protect the Horntail larvae, they are eaten by the larvae of other parasitic wasps that have also hatched in the same tree. Those that survive emerge from the tree in adult form. If the tree has been harvested and used for building material before then, it is not unusual to see these adults inside as they come out of wood. Adults drink nectar and water.

Basic Information

Common Name: Horntail Wasp

Scientific Name:Urocerus spp.

Category: Bee, Ant, Wasp and Similar

General Identification

Size (Adult; Length): 18mm to 40mm (0.70in to 1.56in)

Identifying Colors: black; yellow; orange; brown

Additional Descriptors: stinger, stinging, flying

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Insecta

Order:Hymenoptera

Family:Siricidae

Genus:Urocerus

Species:spp.

Ant, Bee and Wasp Anatomy

1

Antennae: Ants and Bees both have a pair of antennae on the head that senses their surroundings.

2

Head: The head contains the insect's compound eyes, antennae, and mandibles.

3

Thorax: Contains various vital parts such as the aorta and nervous system.

4

Abdomen: Contains various organs including the heart, gut, venom glands, and anus.

5

Legs: Ants and Bees have three pairs of legs attached to the thorax (center-body section).

NOTE: Ants, Bees and Wasps are part of the Hymenoptera order because they share many similarities.

Territorial Reach (A-to-Z)

Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed below as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections below indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.

The map below showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Horntail Wasp may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some species are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America.